2012-08-02 Windward Planning Commission Minutes

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response from the DOT. He said the Planning Department is attempting to have the World Botanical Gardens and the subject applicant work together on any improvements the State Department of Transportation may require for the area as it would be beneficial to both parties in light of the way the economy is at this point. In response to Commissioner Ono’s inquiry regarding the World Botanical Gardens special permit, Mr. Darrow said a special permit application submitted in 2004 was approved in 2005 and the comment from the Department of Public Works regarding the TIAR was that they will defer to the State Department of Transportation since it is a State Highway. Mr. Darrow added that they have sent a copy of the TIAR to the State Department of Transportation as they claim not to have receive the TIAR. There was no one from the public signed up to testify on the application. It was moved by Commissioner Au and seconded by Commissioner Gonzales to continue until the traffic analysis report is completed. A voice was taken and motion was unanimously carried by a voice vote of all Commissioners in attendance. APPLICANT: VERIZON WIRELESS (USE 12-33) Use Permit to construct a 124-foot tall steel telecommunication monopole with 8-foot tall panel antennas and related facilities on an approximate 750 square-foot portion of a 5.371-acre parcel situated in the State Land Use Agricultural district and the County’s Agricultural 10-acre (A- 10a) zoned district. The property is located at 14-4970 Kaimu-Kapoho Road, which is on the west side of Kaimu-Kapoho Road, approximately 600 feet south of its intersection with Moani Road in Kapoho, Puna, Hawai`i, TMK: 1-4-091: Portion of 004. The Commission took this item up at 11:33 a.m. with two people from the public in attendance. Mr. Darrow oriented the Commission and public of the subject and surrounding properties on the presentation map, summarized the request, and noted the Planning Director recommended approval of the application with conditions. The applicant’s representative, Steven Sung, stated he did receive the Planning Department’s background report and recommendation and felt the report was good. Commissioner Ono questioned why the applicant is coming in on a piece-meal basis as the Commission had approved such a facility last year in the Puna district for the applicant. Mr. Sung said as a particular site can handle only so many calls they would need to build more facilities when they have more of a customer base and start receiving customer complaints of not getting good coverage because of the growth in population. In response to the Chair’s inquiry regarding the tower at Green Mountain, Mr. Sung said the tower there is a skinny 40-foot lattice tower less than a foot in diameter that has wires holding it in place, noting a 100-foot tower at this site would not be needed. He said the concern of the structural engineers of replacing the tower at Green Mountain is that the ground or foundation may not hold the tower, which was a safety issue. He added that there is an existing underground conduit that goes up the mountain built in the sixties for GTE, but HELCO has said 5